Arrangement for supplying a medical apparatus with anesthetic

Abstract

An arrangement for supplying a medical apparatus with anesthetic is so improved that, when changing the anesthetic supply vessel ( 1 ), the new anesthetic is made available directly and, when there is a malfunction of an anesthetic metering device ( 2 ), an exchange is possible in a simple manner. The arrangement includes a supply vessel ( 1 ) for the liquid anesthetic ( 6 ), a metering device ( 2 ) for liquid anesthetic and a pin-and-socket connection ( 15 ) between the metering component ( 2 ) and a vessel receptacle ( 3 ) of a medical apparatus ( 4 ). The metering component ( 2 ) is electrically drivable and is connected to the supply vessel ( 1 ) so as to form a modular unit.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. An anesthetic apparatus comprising: 
       a housing defining a mounting surface;  
       a chamber mounted in said housing;  
       a plurality of plug-in supply vessels each holding a particular anesthetic and at least one of said plug-in supply vessels being placed on said mounting surface depending upon need during operational use of said anesthetic apparatus;  
       each of said plug-in supply vessels including an electric metering device fixedly mounted therein so as to be an integral part of said plug-in supply vessel;  
       said one plug-in supply vessel and said mounting surface conjointly defining an interface when said one plug-in supply vessel is seated on said mounting surface;  
       a connector device at said interface for connecting said electric metering device to said housing to facilitate a flow of said anesthetic from said plug-in supply vessel to said chamber;  
       control means for actuating said electric metering device with a pulse-width modulated control signal to open or close said electric metering device; and,  
       an electric connector at said interface for connecting said control means to said electric metering device for conducting said pulse-width modulated control signal to said electric metering device.  
     
     
       2. The anesthetic apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each one of said supply vessels has an interior space for holding the liquid anesthetic; and, each one of said supply vessels has a pressurized-gas connection for charging said interior space with pressurized gas. 
     
     
       3. The anesthetic apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each one of said supply vessels has a coding for identifying the anesthetic disposed therein. 
     
     
       4. The anesthetic apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said supply vessel has a lowest point and said electric metering device is mounted at said lowest point. 
     
     
       5. The anesthetic apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a gaseous anesthetic can be present above said anesthetic in a liquid form in said supply vessel and said electric metering device is mounted in said one supply vessel above the level of said anesthetic in liquid form for metering the gaseous anesthetic. 
     
     
       6. The anesthetic apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said electric metering device is configured as an injection valve or micropump. 
     
     
       7. The anesthetic apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein said injection valve is electrically or pneumatically actuated. 
     
     
       8. The anesthetic apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said supply vessel has a fill device for liquid anesthetic specific for a particular liquid anesthetic. 
     
     
       9. The anesthetic apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said anesthetic is a liquid and said supply vessel includes a fill level indicator for the liquid anesthetic. 
     
     
       10. The anesthetic apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of said anesthetic in said supply vessel. 
     
     
       11. The anesthetic apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each of said supply vessels has an interior space for holding said anesthetic; and, said anesthetic apparatus further comprising a pressure sensor for detecting the pressure present in said interior space. 
     
     
       12. The anesthetic apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said connector device is configured as a pin-and-socket connector. 
     
     
       13. The anesthetic apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a storage volume between said electric metering device and said connector device. 
     
     
       14. A plug-in supply vessel unit for use with a medical apparatus when connected thereto, the plug-in supply vessel comprising: 
       a vessel for holding an anesthetic;  
       an electric metering device fixedly mounted in said vessel so as to be an integral part thereof;  
       said electric metering device being configured to respond to a pulse-width modulated control signal to meter said anesthetic to the medical apparatus in a controlled manner when plugged into the medical apparatus;  
       a connector device for connecting said electric metering device to the medical apparatus to facilitate a flow of said anesthetic from said plug-in supply vessel when said plug-in supply vessel is plugged into the medical apparatus; and,  
       an electric connector element mounted in said supply vessel for conducting said pulse-width modulated control signal to said electric metering device when said plug-in supply vessel is plugged into said medical apparatus.